This invention relates to adjustable mirror mounts, particularly for laser mirrors.
Numerous devices exist for adjusting mirrors which employ adjusting screws, e.g., U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,588,232; 4,066,342; 4,439,862; 4,744,091; and 4,807,839. However, the prior art suffers from an inability to maintain a micro-radian angular adjustment when an adjustment locking means is applied. Further, most of the prior art mirror mounting devices, particularly those employing springs, e.g., U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,648,692 and 4,680,771, fail to achieve extreme structural stiffness when the adjustment means is locked. Finally, even in devices which may be capable of being locked without losing micro-radian adjustment, the design of the locking means requires so many parts as to preclude relatively high structural stiffness when locked; see, e.g., U.S. Pat. No. 4,060,314.